


Oranges at Market

by SilveryBeing



Category: Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2
Genre: Asura - Freeform, Gen, preromance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-23
Updated: 2013-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-15 22:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/854601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilveryBeing/pseuds/SilveryBeing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two asura meet for the first time at the Rata Sum market. A simple gesture of help may led to something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oranges at Market

_The sand was soft as it flowed through her fingers. She could easily imagine that it was gold dust in the light of the setting sun._

 

_"Daddy look!" She squealed in delight as she dumped the sand into her bucket. "I'm gonna build Rata Sum! It will look just like it!" She grabbed more and more handfuls of sand, trying desperately to have enough to build her city._

 

_Her father just smiled as he sat at on the edge of the sandbox, watching his daughter play. The sky was red and pink behind him, the light obscured his appearance but the little girl knew that face better than her own, his open strong features had always been a staple in her life._

 

_She turned her attention back to her bucket. It should have been filled by now, but the sand seemed to only fill it a quarter of the way. That was weird._

 

_But a movement out of the corner of her eye stole her attention. They were hardly more than a pair of silhouettes in the distance, one smaller than the other, but she recognized them regardless. "Mama! Look daddy, it's mama and Wess!" She pointed excitedly._

 

_He did turn. He did look. And the smile vanished from his face._

 

_"Daddy?" She asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"_

 

_He did not appear to hear her. He just stood up, his face blank as a golem’s, and started to walk towards the silhouettes._

 

_"Daddy, wait. I'll come with you." She tried to stand, but she couldn't. The sand was coiled around her legs and held her as firm as chains. “Daddy wait!” She called out in alarm as she tried to free herself._

 

_He did not acknowledge or notice his daughter’s distress. Instead he just slowly walked towards those dark forms._

 

_“Wait! Wait for me!” She reached out to grab him, but the cloth of his coat slipped through her fingers. “Daddy!”_

 

_He did not stop. He did not turn. He did not smile at her. He did not wait. He just kept walking._

 

_“Daddy!” She screamed in fear. She tried again to run after him, but the sand was as strong as ever and she fell hard on her stomach. She looked up with tears in her eyes as her father started to fade into the distance. "Daddy! Don't leave me! Come back!" She sobbed as she tried to reach out again. His form was getting dark as he neared the silhouettes, matching the darkening sky that lacked stars. "Daddy please! Don't forget about me! Daddy! DADDY!"_

 

\------------------

 

Sanna bolted upright with a gasp and a hammering heart. She clutched her blankets with shaking hands as she looked wildly around her, expecting to see her legs tangled in sand. No, that didn't make any sense.

 

She fumbled on the nightstand next to her bed. The light from her lamp nearly blinded her but she was more relieved than annoyed. All the shadows of the dream were chased away, leaving only the harsh reality behind. And the one reality at the forefront was that Sanna was not going to be getting anymore sleep for the night.

 

A dream, it was just a dream. She groaned as she crawled out of bed and headed to the bathing room to wash the cold sweat off her face. She looked herself in the mirror after she dried off to see what sort of damage the fitful sleep had caused. She was rather pretty for an asura, moon white skin, violet eyes, pink hair, and shapely ears. But there were dark circles on that white skin, bloodshot around those purple eyes, tangles in her light hair, and her ears drooped more than what was natural. "Alchemy, you look like shit." She tried to joke, but it sounded flat even to her.

 

She could fix one thing at least so she grabbed her hair brush. While she was not brazen enough to go around bald like _certain_ girls, she still adjusted her bangs to show off some of her forehead. Ehh, maybe a little less, more like that, don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, there we go. She felt a little better on a physical level as she looked in the mirror, but the dream was still too fresh in her mind. It might have been the middle of the night but she wasn’t even going to attempt to go back to bed, she knew herself too well.

 

So if she wasn't going to sleep then the least she could do was wake up. She went into the kitchen and started some water for tea. The kitchen was small, just like the rest of her apartment. In the one corner was her worktable, covered neatly with bowls of arcane dust and scepter cores. In a proper asura dwelling it would have been a room unto itself, but there was no room here. At the very least it had a window that looked out over Metrica Province. It was the one concession this place had, along with the shop downstairs. It was a wonderful view, but right now it was all black.

 

Sanna poured herself some tea and cupped the warm mug in her hands, relishing the nearly burning sensation. She tried to focus on what she was going to do for the rest of the day. The Peacemaker golems were scheduled for their weekly maintenance and updates today, which meant the district would be closed. So Sanna didn’t have to open her shop today. Normally she would have stayed indoors and got caught up on some of her orders, but she was running low on just about everything. It didn’t matter how much you foraged if you didn’t have flour after all. So right then and there she decided to get some errands done, it would certainly be better for her than moping around the apartment. The Creative Commons had a bustling market so that was where she was going to go today. Sounded like a plan.

 

She felt pleased with herself as she took a sip of her drink. But she made the mistake of looking out the window again. It was so dark. Starless. Just like in the dream.

 

Sanna set her cup down harder than she meant too, sloshing some of the tea onto the table. She started to feel sick again. It did not take a Synergetics Somnia Student to tell her what the dream meant. It was obvious. But not comforting. It was something she really _really_ did not want to face or be reminded about. It was a wound. But like a wound she could not stop picking at it.

 

\----------------------------------

 

The heat of the jungle was absolutely sweltering and the lab itself had little more than a crossbreeze to keep it cool.

 

Tarnn felt it worse than the krewe members but he wore his discomfort better. Covered in heavy chainmail from the neck down and with a sword on his back, he had no sympathies for the whining krewe workers.

 

He shifted his stance again, trying to ease the weariness in his legs. It was the last day of this particular job, half day really, then he would be able to follow up on more lucrative proposals.

 

Most employers were more than happy, and even insistent, that he patrol, but this one was adamant that he stand outside the office. So there he stood for the better part of the week while his own golems walked the patrol. He never thought he would be jealous of a couple robots.

 

He watched as the lab krewe worked around him as he had done for days. He knew that Morra over there was a gossip, that Hil always volunteered to run errands in order to avoid working next to Lycor, Erra was already trying to transfer to another krewe, and that Wyk was sweet on Dria but she was secretly involved with Kregg. He knew all this just watching from where he stood.

 

But none of them knew about him. No one so much as spoke with him. Tarnn would have gladly entertained a conversation just so long as they did not distract him from his work, but none ever came. The most he got was curious looks out of the corners of their eyes, curious and intimidated. That he was used too.

 

Tarnn was big, he always had been, even as a progeny. He rarely encountered another asura as tall as him or as built and never both at the same time. Sure, charr and norn where towering, but they were supposed to be. It was a whole other crate of golem servos for an asura to be towering over his own race. It made people uncomfortable. Though it did put a stop to some of the crueler barbs, at least to his face. In a society that valued brain over brawn, Tarnn was always at a constant disadvantage. He was just as smart as anyone else, but it was always something he had to prove rather than have it be a given. Thank the Eternal Alchemy and all its Divisions for his mentor who was the first to encourage him to put his natural talents to good use rather than wasting them.

 

Of course that path led him to where he was right now, standing in one spot in full chainmail in the stifling jungle heat. He adjusted his stance again and crossed his arms, but it did no good. Only mentally counting down the nanoseconds until he was paid and out of here gave him any reprieved.

 

‘ _Alert-alert-alert-Code 3_ ’ Came a metallic voice from his wrist.

 

That was one of his golems. Code 3, that meant a scheduled visitor had arrived. Tarnn hoped that this visitor was the one he had been hired over, that meant he could leave sooner. He flipped open a panel on his wrist bracers, revealing rows of buttons and lights and a small screen. The screen showed what had to be Master Rykk. He was just as green, wrinkly, and sour as he had been warned. Still, there was protocol he had to follow.

 

“State your name and business.” He spoke clearly into his wrist piece.

 

 _“What is the meaning of this!?”_ Was the response. _“I’m the Great Master Rykk! I demand to speak with Myika!”_

 

Tarnn noticed that everyone had stopped working and was listening in. They all looked nervous. “Optical Specialist Myika is expecting you,” He made a special point of including her title. “If you will kindly wait a moment, I shall escort you.”

 

_“Escort me!? I am not some power converter you just fetch from the market, I demand-“_

 

Tarnn shut the panel before he could hear his demands. This was not going to be fun. He gave the door behind him two knocks, the agreed upon code for when Myika’s special visitor arrived. He could hear a surprised squeak and a shuffle of papers through the door. He adjusted his sword before marching off towards the entrance of the lab where his golems were waiting. As he marched past them he noticed the mixture of pity and worry in the eyes of the krewe.

 

Master Rykk was positively fuming when Tarnn arrived. He was also conspicuously standing as far from Tarnn’s golem as he could, probably because one arm had been replaced with a rather large spiked hammer.

 

“Master Rykk, if you would come with me.”

 

“It’s Great Master Rykk, and how dare you order me around, I’ve been teaching the Opticmagical field since before your mother was born.” He huffed. “Who are you?”

 

Tarnn could not care less what this guy taught or how long he had been doing it. “I’m Protector Tarnn, the Security Specialist of this facility.”

 

“Sec- _Security_? Myika has sent _security_ after me!?” Rykk took a moment to look Tarnn over. Tarnn’s ears hung down past his shoulders but ended in tatters from past battles, his skin was a darker brown with no markings, and his tied back hair was only a few shades off from his skin. The dark helped set off his blue eyes. But the only detail Rykk seemed concerned with was the fact that Tarnn was a full head and a half taller than him. “Alchemy, was your father a norn or something?”

 

Tarnn ground his teeth. “I wish I knew. Now please, you are expected.” He stood aside to let Rykk pass.

 

“Of course I am! Myika could never forget about her old mentor.” He sniffed as he swept past.

 

 _‘Though I’m sure she tried.’_ Tarnn thought to himself as he followed closely.

 

The krewe seemed unusually focused on their work, even Morra had stopped running her mouth. There were beads of sweat on most of them, though probably not from the heat.

 

“ _Arcane_ crystal lenses?” Rykk scoffed loudly which made a few krewe members wince. “Will Myika ever learn?” He started to veer off to get a closer look.

 

That was precisely what Myika had ordered Tarnn to _not_ allow happen. His hand shot out faster than a snake and latched to Rykk’s arm.

 

“Unhand me! How dare you-“

 

Tarnn only pulled Rykk closer, as easily as if he had been a rag doll. “Optical Specialist Myika is _waiting_.” He glowered down at him. He noticed that his hand was able to wrap completely around Rykk’s upper arm and it would not take much pressure on his part to snap the bone inside.

 

Rykk visibly paled, his ears pulled back submissively. The haughty look in his eyes was gone, only to be replaced with fear. “Yes, of course. Myi- I mean Optical Specialist Myika is certainly very busy and I shouldn’t take up any more of her time.”

 

Oops. That was not the reaction Tarnn had been going for. But it was too late now and Rykk seemed to finally be cooperative. They walked the rest of the way in silence, Tarnn never letting go of Rykk while the master was struggling to keep up with his long strides.

 

Tarnn paused in front of the office door and knocked. “Master Rykk to see you.”

 

“Yes, come in, come in!” Miyka’s voice through the wood sounded panicked.

 

Tarnn finally let Rykk go as he opened the door. Rykk tried to salvage his dignity by brushing off his sleeve and adjusting his robe, but then immediately wilted when Tarnn followed him inside and shut the door behind him.

 

“Great Master Rykk,” Miyka said from behind her desk with a strained smile. “We were expecting you earlier this week.”

 

Rykk clicked his teeth and glanced to where Tarnn had moved to stand on the wall. “Well, things happen. I say, does your brute- I mean Security Specialist have to stay here? I have some sensitive information, for your ears only.”

 

Myika brushed one of her dreadlocks out of her eyes in order to hide the brief smile on her face. “Tarnn? The Protector has a reputation for being nothing if not professional, a rare commodity these days. Whatever you have to say he won't share. He stays.”

 

Rykk might have felt like protesting but could not gather the courage. “Of course, right.”

 

“Of course.” Myika echoed. “Now, about those books I need to borrow.”

 

The two asura spent the next half hour hammering out the details. Myika was in need of some books from her old mentor's private library, but Rykk was loath to give them up. But it only took the sound of Tarnn's chain mail, disturbed from little more than flicking one of his long tattered ears back over his shoulder, to get Rykk to change his mind. This made Myika bold and she was able to procure a few extra tomes for her use.

 

Myika finally stood up and held her hand out. “Well Master Rykk, I want to thank you for your contribution to the advancement of arcane crystal lenses. The microscope designs in your books will be a great start for-“

 

“Yes of course my dear. Now unless you need to bleed me dry some more, I really should be getting back to my own lab.”

 

Myika nodded. “Allow Tarnn to escort you out.”

 

Rykk shrank back. “That won’t be necessary.”

 

Tarnn was already at the door. “I insist.” He said as he opened it.

 

The trip out was faster than the one coming in. Rykk walked at a brisk pace which Tarnn was able to keep up with easily. While on the way in Rykk might have been interested in seeing what the krewe was working on, on the way out he kept his eyes forward. There was no stopping to look at the krewe’s work, no discouraging remarks about quality, and absolutely no slowing down.

 

When they reached the entrance Tarnn stopped. “Alchemy guide you the rest of your day.” He said as a parting.

 

Rykk acknowledged it with an awkward half wave before taking off at a run.

 

Myika was laughing when Tarnn returned to her office, and apparently she had been since they had left. “Wow!” She wiped a tear from her eye. “They were right about you. All the other security specialists I’ve hired in the past ended up being useless when faced with my old mentor. What did you do? I’ve never seen him cowed before.”

 

Tarnn shrugged. “He likes to walk all over people, I’m not that easy to walk on.”

 

“True on both points.” She reached into a drawer and pulled down a purse of coin and started to count out his pay. “You earned yourself a bonus. I never thought I would be able to get Eery’s Metaphysics of Sight _and_ Ulp’s Miniature Optometrics out of him in such a short time. Are you sure you can’t stay on permanently? A girl could get used to having a guy like you around.” She gave him an enticing smile.

 

Tarnn tried to ignore her meaning. “Afraid not, I have other labs on my schedule.”

 

Myika pouted as she finished with the money. “A shame, but I will make sure to tell my friends about you, and you can put me down as a reference any time. I might even have a few needs for you in the future.” She reached over the desk to hand him the money purse, but she did not let go right away. “You know, you really do have a lovely set of optics, I’m already jealous of the girl who gets to study _those_.”

 

Tarnn coughed nervously and took his money. “Yes, well, if there is nothing else, I’ll be taking my golems and getting out of your hair.”

 

Myika sat back and tried to not look too disappointed.

 

\---------

 

The Creator's Commons market was bustling today. Most likely because of the stiff breeze that was blowing the jungle humidity away from Rata Sum, creating a more comfortable atmosphere.

 

And it was not just asura out shopping. A sprinkling of other races who were in the area for adventure or business had also decided to take advantage of the nice weather. Sanna was normally congenial to other races, as any shopkeep who wished to stay in business would be. But today she was not feeling particularly chatty and would pick paths that kept her among her own kind who tended to be too self absorbed to notice the worn out pink haired asura. She did her best to avoid the charr in particular. She already had a hard time seeing around her bags and the last thing she needed was to be embarrassingly bowled over by a stray tail.

 

The food section of the market was loud with both sounds and smells. People were yelling offers in order to be heard over each other and vendors were hawking their wares even louder. And then there were the smells. Grilled meats, edible flowers, sugary sweets, and more were all bunched in together to create one smell unique to markets.

 

One scent in particular caught Sanna's nose however, something sweet and citrusy, and she looked around to see where it was coming from. “Oranges!” She exclaimed when she saw the fruit stand covered with oranges in mesh bags. Her mouth watered as she studied them closer. She had not had an orange in ages. They all looked ripe and perfect. They would make a great treat, she could even make some juice for herself. “How much?”

 

“One silver per bag.” The shopkeep answer.

 

Sanna’s ears drooped. A whole silver? That might have been reasonable for someone else, but it was well out of Sanna's price range. “Anything at a discount? I don’t care if they are a little bruised or anything.”

 

The shopkeep shook his head. “I don’t sell subpar oranges. One silver, take it or leave it.”

 

Sanna mentally debated for a second even though she already knew the answer. “Sorry, maybe next time.” She tried to back away with as much dignity she could muster.

 

But that led to her bumping into an older asura. “Sorry! Sorry, my fault.” She said quickly.

 

“It’s quite alright- wait a minute,” He looked her over before recognition shown in his eyes. “Sanna? Sanna it is you! Wow, has it really been that long?”

 

Sanna stepped back in surprise and a little bit of alarm. “I'm sorry, do I know you?” He was much older than her and his hair was going white. But there was something familiar about him.

 

“It’s old Zarkk, I used to work under your mom and dad back when you were just knee high to a skritt. You were always getting your ears into our work, just had to know everything we were doing.” He smiled at the memory.

 

Sanna felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck at memory of her progenyhood. She did remember Zarkk, if only as a vague face in one of the rotating krewes that worked in her parents’ lab. “Well, it’s very pleasant to see you again Zarkk, but I do have a lot of-“

 

“So what are you doing now?” He continued on without catching the hint. “I bet you went into Dynamics, just like your parents. I was a Statics myself, but you seemed too bold for that.”

 

Sanna adjusted the bag on her hip, figuring that she was going to be stuck here awhile. “I already graduated from Dynamics, the meteorology program,” She felt a painful twinge in her heart. “But I now run an artificing shop.” She was careful to not mention where it was located. “But I really should be go-“

 

“How’s your father? I know he was hit pretty hard by, well, you know, but I haven’t heard any news from him in a few years. How’s he holding up?”

 

Sanna could almost feel the world shrink around her. This was exactly the conversation she wanted to avoid. Why oh why didn't she walk past those two sylvari? They wouldn't have asked her things like this! “Fine, he’s fine.” She lied with a lump in her throat. “Prefers the quieter life of tinkering rather than the skritt race of kreweship lately.”

 

Zarkk was just as perceptive as he always been. “Well, that’s good. And I don’t blame him, there are days when I think the competition is too much. He’s earned a break.”

 

Sanna was suddenly not feeling so well. She struggled to find anything to say. “He has, I try to visit once a week.”

 

Zarkk nodded, approving of her daughterly devotion. “As well you should.” He suddenly perked her ears. “I think I hear my wife calling me, don’t want her to catch me talking to a smart pretty young thing like you, might get the wrong idea. Good to see you again, tell your father I said hi.” And with that he disappeared off into the crowd.

 

Sanna was left standing there, disbelieving what just occurred. First the dream and now that conversation with an ex-krewe member? She had enough troubles without being constantly reminded of them. What had she done to the Eternal Alchemy to deserve this? She couldn't just have a nice day could she? Just a day where she could forget her troubles and the past and have a chance to enjoy herself. But no, reminders always had to creep up on her. She could never relax, not even for a second. It wasn't fair!

 

She was alarmed to feel her eyes burn. _‘No, not here. No here where people will see and think you weak. You can’t be weak.’_ She adjusted her bags so she could wipe her eyes with her wrist and then looked for a way out. It was suddenly much too crowded for her, she felt trapped. She needed some fresh air. She pushed through the crowd, heading towards the edge of the market where she could have the space she desperately needed.

 

\--------------

 

Tarnn flipped a coin in a bored manner as he surveyed the Creator's Commons market. He had been planning on buying some supplies for his forge, but the district he normally went too was closed. Peacemaker golem maintenance or some such nonsense. His own golems were back home at his forge, they were for work only, and he did not feel like traipsing all the way back empty handed.

 

Looking over the busy upper market he decided on giving the supplies a miss. He didn’t need them right this second, he had other things he could work on back home. But maybe he could stick around for a little bit. Myika had been generous with her bonus so it might be worthwhile to look at what the merchants brought to town.

 

What a difference it was being in the city. Even though he was still in his chain mail he was feeling much cooler than he had back on the jungle floor. As long as he ignored the sidelong stares he might even enjoy this.

 

Tarnn passed by tailors, bowyers, jewelers, and brewers of all kinds. He even gave a critical eye to some of the weapon and armor smiths, but he kept his professional assessment to himself. Overall, while there were some nice things for sale, there was nothing he was really interested in. So that left the food section to check out.

 

This was certainly much more interesting. All kinds of food from all over Tyria was available for a few coin. He gave into the temptation to buy the grilled meats, but it was a bag of oranges that he was most pleased about. These would last him a few days and they were only a silver. What a deal!

 

He was just tying the bag to his belt when he overheard an old man and his wife.

 

“Oh yes, color me surprised to see Sanna all grown up, makes me feel old.”

 

Tarnn looked over his shoulder to see an old man talking with his wife. For some reason, out of all the snatches of conversation around him, this was what he picked up on.

 

"Time marches on dear." The wife responded.

 

"I know." The old man sighed. "I just hope she isn't spending all night in whatever lab she's working in, poor thing looked exhausted. Course I did the exact same thing at that age, always sure I'd hit some breakthrough. Ah, youth..." Then they faded off into the crowd.

 

It was a normal regular conversation. Just like the many thousands that were taking place that day. So Tarnn did not pay it any special attention.

 

What he did pay special attention too was a flier posted on one of the more permanent stalls. It was an open call for Snaff Prize applicants.

 

“Snaff Prize time already?” He said to himself as he peeled an orange. The actual date of the contest was listed for a little over three months from now but a list of kreweleaders had already been approved and now they were seeking resumes for the actual krewe members.

 

It had been awhile since Tarnn was a member of a krewe operating in a non-security role. He doubted he had much of a chance for just that reason, but it might be fun to try out. Do something a little different.

 

The idea of the Snaff Prize was still on his mind as he ate his orange and tried to figure out where to go next. There didn’t seem to be anything else interesting in the immediate vicinity.

 

So Tarnn waded his way through the crowd towards the edge of the market where it was at least a little quieter.

 

\-----------------

 

The edge of the Creator Commons lacked some of the larger, better equipped market stands in the center or closer to the portals, and so there was not as much business. This meant that Sanna had some breathing room finally.

 

Sanna had found one of the planters outside the College of Dynamics to sit on for a moment in order to rest her feet and do her best to not look sorry for herself. She was feeling a little better now that she had room to breath and be by herself.

 

But who was she kidding? The talk with Zarkk brought back memories of the dream. And sitting outside her old college was like salt in the wound. It just reminded her that she could have been somebody. That she had plans for her life, that she was going places.

 

But life had a way of kicking her in the teeth when she was down and all that had to be abandoned. _'Don't be selfish.'_ She tried to tell herself, as she had told herself a million times over. But it still hurt. She had hoped that this was temporary, that she could regain her place. But she was too far off track to ever catch up again. There would be no krewe for her to run. No lab of her own. No books. No memory. No glory.

 

It was enough to make her want to give up.

 

No! If there was one thing worse than a failure it was a defeatist. She couldn't give up, she just couldn't. She had to keep going, if for her father's sake rather than her own. And even if she was never remembered as a genius, at least her artificing components found there way into dozens of krewe inventions. That had to count for something right? Right?

 

She had to hold onto that idea, it made her not feel as sick. And she couldn't stay here all day, she had more shopping to do before heading home, so she better get to it.

 

So she hoisted her bags back into her arms and took a deep breath before diving back into the sea of the market place.

 

But she did not get very far before she heard shrieks of panic.

 

“Stop! Thief!” A roar that could only come from a charr echoed over the Commons.

 

She had only a moment to notice a rather panicked looking human clutching a money purse run in her direction. Close behind was a furious looking charr on all fours.

 

 _'What kind of idiot-'_ She never got a chance to finish her thought as while she tried to dodge out of the way, her bags made her slow. There was a dull thunk as the charr's tail smacked into her back as he raced past, sending her crashing.

 

The impact on the ground knocked the air out of her lungs and her bags flew from her arms. Sanna laid there a moment, she could feel the scrapes on her palms, the blood on her one knee, and the deep pain on her back which was threatening to turn black and blue for a month. But mostly she felt a burning shame. And anger. And pity. She just wanted to curl up and make it all go away.

 

“Are you alright?” A voice came from above.

 

“Huh?” Sanna looked up, right into the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes she had ever seen in her life. “What?”

 

“Are you alright?” He repeated. “Here, let me help you up.”

 

Sanna took the outstretched hand, her pale skin looking even paler against the dark brown. While she was feeling a little wobbly, the strength in that hand kept her steady. “I'm sorry, I'm just a little dizzy.” She confessed a little breathlessly when she got her feet.

 

That's when she finally took stock of her helper. He was the tallest asura she had ever seen, she had to crane her neck back just to look at his face. He was also covered completely in chain mail from the neck down and there was a sword on his back. Normally she might have felt intimidated but instead she was oddly reassured rather than scared.

 

“I can imagine, those tails pack a punch.” He said, only letting go of her hand once he was sure she wasn't going to fall again. “The Peacemakers are after the thief but I think the charr caught him first.”

 

“I don't doubt it.” Sanna replied distractedly as she brushed gravel and debris from her scraped palms. Lines of red were starting to appear. Great, just what she needed. She didn't even want to know what her knee or back looked like.

 

“I can help with that, if you don't mind.” He held out his hand again. “I know a bit of healing, I can patch you up a little.”

 

Sanna was about to refuse, to say that it was fine and that she really should get back to her own business, the words were right on her tongue. But instead she looked in his eyes and saw that he genuinely wanted to help. She had not seen that look in far too long. “Okay.” She nodded and allowed him to take her hand again.

 

A blue light shone on his hand and he drew a sigil over her palm that Sanna recognized as being from the Eternal Alchemy. It was like a fresh breeze flowed through her. The wounds on her hands closed, the pain on her knee faded, and even her back ached less. It was a short spell, but effective nonetheless.

 

Sanna flexed her hands when he was finished. “Thank you, that feels wonderful.” She glanced down at her leg and saw that the cloth had been completely ripped but her knee had stopped bleeding.

 

He nodded. “Of course. Now let's get your things picked up. Don't want the Peacemakers coming back and accusing us of obstructing traffic.”

 

She gave an alarmed exclamation. In all the excitement, Sanna had forgotten about her things! She dove for her purchases, grabbing what she could. Luckily most of it was intact though some of the fruit was now bruised. She was thankful that she had not bought milk yet or there would be broken glass everywhere.

 

She started packing things back in her bags as quickly as her helper got them to her. Oh dear, she couldn't call him that. “I don't think I caught your name.”

 

“Tarnn,” He said as he handed her some wrapped up soap. “Protector Tarnn.”

 

Protector? That meant he was some sort of bodyguard or security specialist. That would explain his appearance. “I'm Sanna. I was- am an aeromage. Though I spend more time as an artificer these days.” She admitted.

 

Sanna expected some look of disappointment, pity, or even questions on why she decided to get into mercantilism. But she got none of that from him. In fact, he smiled and nodded a little, like he understood her. “I do smithing myself between security gigs. Nothing like you do of course, but same idea. Do you have everything?”

 

Sanna double checked her bags. “Everything looks here. Thanks for your help Tarnn. I'll be going-” A pained hiss escaped between her teeth as she tried to lift the bags. Tarnn's healing spell only took the edge off her back but did nothing for the deeper damage. The aching pain made it clear that lifting anything was out of the question for the next few days.

 

Tarnn became alarmed and quickly snatched the bags from her. “Too much too soon?”

 

Sanna nodded as she rubbed her back. “Now what am I going to do? I had more shopping to get done.” She would not get this opportunity for another week and waiting that long was out of the question.

 

Tarnn looked at the bags he was holding and then back to her. “I could give you a hand if you want.”

 

“What?! You can't be serious.”

 

“Why wouldn't I be? You need help and I'm good at helping people. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.”

 

He had a point, and it wasn't like she had any other option. “Alright fine, follow me.” She jerked a thumb back towards the heart of the market. “We're heading back in, so stay close and don't get lost.”

 

\------------------------

 

“What I don't understand,” Sanna said as she compared two different lighting crystals. “Is how you got into the bodyguard business if you were a Synergetics student. You guys are known more for your armchair philosophers rather than armed guards.”

 

Tarnn stood obediently by her elbow. “That was my mentor's doing. My professors might have taught me the ins and outs of the Eternal Alchemy but my mentor saw me as Guardian material from day one and did his damnedest to make sure that happened. Even forced me into taking metallurgy in Statics and-”

 

Sanna almost dropped the crystals. “Wait a minute, you can do that? Take cross college classes?”

 

Tarnn shrugged. “ _He_ could, I don't know about anyone else. He could do a lot of things most couldn't.” His eyes scanned the marketplace, as if just speaking about him would make the old man appear.

 

Sanna finally settled on her crystals, the cheaper set Tarnn noticed. “He sounds like a regular Snaff.”

 

 _'I actually think Master Rajj terrified Snaff.'_ “Maybe.” He said out loud. “But what about you? You said you're an aeromage. What did that entail?”

 

Sanna stopped so suddenly that Tarnn nearly ran her over. She stood there, eyes on the ground, and stayed quiet long enough to make Tarnn feel uncomfortable.

 

“Are you okay?” He leaned over trying to get a better look at her face. _'Was it something I said?'_

 

Sanna finally looked at him with a forced smile. “No, it's fine. I, uhh, I was just...” She waved off whatever her original train of thought was and started walking again. “I was in Dynamics. I studied the weather. It's still hard for me to believe that my great great grandparents never felt the rain, or the wind, or the snow. I can't imagine never seeing the sky.” She said softly, more to herself than to Tarnn. She then remembered that she had an audience and cleared her throat. “I've always been good with elemental magic, but air was always my specialty. Got me my aeromage title.”

 

“I bet the Quartz Cabal just _loved_ that.”

 

“Alchemy, you have no idea.” She scoffed. “I got harassed by them more than once. I miss a lot of things about college, but I don't miss those wackjobs, not one bit.”

 

Sanna led him to a dairy stand before continuing her story. “After getting through the basics of the meteorology program, I was allowed to join a storm chasing undergrad krewe.” She looked up at Tarnn which a slightly embarrassed look to her eyes. “I know what you're thinking, typical crazy Dynamics right?”

 

He wasn't going to lie. “Yea, that sounds about right.”

 

Sanna smiled a little. “You aren't wrong. Storm chasing is pretty crazy. It's also dirty, tiring, and dangerous. But let me tell you, it was the best time of my life. You couldn't ask for a better krewe to work with. I often wish I was still out there.”

 

“So why aren't you?”

 

She looked up from loading her bags with milk bottles. “Why aren't I what?”

 

“Out there. You just said that you wished you were still out there.” He remembered that earlier she said that she was an artificer. How did a an aeromage, a successful sounding one at that, become a merchant?

 

“I did?!” Sanna looked alarmed. “I didn't mean- That wasn't-” She looked around in an effort to find something else to talk about but found nothing, which only seemed to make her more alarmed.

 

Tarnn set the bags down and reached out for her slowly, as if she was a nervous doe that would bolt at any sudden movements. He should have noticed that she had not meant to say that last part out loud. His mentor would have tanned his hide for being so unobservant. “It's okay, it's fine.” He said soothingly.

 

Sanna was taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, her eyes shifting nervously over the crowd as if she expected an audience. But she did not back away like he feared. Instead she moved closer and let his hand rest on her shoulder. He could feel the tenseness in her muscles. “I'm sorry.” She said quietly. “I'm so sorry. You probably think I'm-”

 

“It's okay,” He said again. “It's not a big deal.”

 

“I just...I don't want to talk about it.” She continued, unable to look at Tarnn. “I really _really_ don't want to talk about it.”

 

That struck the Protector as odd. Most asura were incapable of shutting up about themselves whether anyone wanted to listen or not. But it was not Tarnn's place to press the matter and his mother raised him to respect others. So he did not push the issue, even if he was curious.

 

Sanna seemed to realize that Tarnn still had his hand on her shoulder and squirmed out from under it, her face a little flushed. “Right, um, I think I got everything I need so...” She still had a hard time look at him and sounded embarrassed, though about something else entirely.

 

Tarnn however was busy untying the bag on his belt. “Here.” He held out an orange. “It will make you feel better.”

 

Sanna apparently did not notice that he had oranges with him until right this moment. She looked a little puzzled but took the offered citrus anyways. She rolled it around in her palms and looked at him a little shyly, a faint smile on her lips. “Do you think you can walk me home now?”

 

“Of course.” He was just glad she was starting to feel better. He gathered her things up and followed her away from the market and down a ramp to the city's lower levels.

 

They walked the rest of the way in silence, but that seemed to be from the fact that Sanna seemed more interested in getting the rind off the fruit. “These do make a great treat.” She said before popping a slice in her mouth.

 

Tarnn chuckled a little but then was immediately distracted by a Peacemaker blockade directly in front of them. Wasn't he here already today?

 

“Stop right there.” The officer in charge said. “This district is closed for golem maintenance, we cannot admit the public for a few more hours.”

 

“It's okay Officer Kull, he's with me.” Sanna said.

 

Officer Kull craned his neck to see around Tarnn. “Ah, Aeromage. My apologies. Allow me to lift the gate so you and your porter can pass.”

 

“ _Porter_?” Tarnn did not like the sound of that. But he did not protest any further as he and Sanna were admitted into her district.

 

“I'm right over here.” She said as she fished out a set of keys. She led him to a small corner shop and turned off the electro-security bars so they could enter.

 

Tarnn took a moment to look around and realized that a moment was all he needed. It was a rather small place. Shelves on the wall, a few glass cases, and a checkout counter. But there were no artificing books or supplies sold here, nor was there any equipment for the public to work on that was a draw to some of the larger shops. Tarnn was no stranger to the scepter and focus though and could see that what Sanna lacked in space, she made up for with quality. They might not be fancy but they were well made and at a budget price.

 

“You can just set those down on the counter.” Sanna called from the corner where she was turning on the lights.

 

He pulled himself away from the scepters to do as he was told. She soon joined him. “I can handle it from here, I can carry a little at a time to my apartment upstairs. You've been a huge help today, and not just the groceries.”

 

Tarnn did not know what she meant but didn't ask. “It was no big deal.”

 

“No, it was.” She stopped unpacking and looked at him. For the first time he realize just how tired she looked. “I was having a pretty bad day until you came along. It's nice to be reminded that some asura out there aren't completely self absorbed.” She put a hand over his, so small comparatively, and gave it a squeeze. “So thanks. For everything.”

 

Tarnn's darker skin hid the flush on his cheeks. He was not used to such heartfeltness and wasn't sure what to say. “Anytime.” He said, struggling to find the right words. “If you need any help or something, just let me know.”

 

Sanna nodded and lifted her hand away.

 

Tarnn turned to leave, but just before exiting the shop he had a thought and pivoted to give her a bow. He was pleased to notice that it made her smile.

 

\---------------------------------

 

It had been five days since that day in the market and Sanna was in her shop looking over an order manifest that had just been delivered.

 

The problem was that it was the only thing delivered.

 

She had been expecting shop supplies for awhile now, adventurers only brought in so many components after all, but her usual shipper changed part of his policy. They now charged for delivery rather than having it as a free service.

 

At the very least they thought to inform Sanna about this before a golem with her boxes showed up demanding payment. Another shopkeeper might have found this annoying, but Sanna saw it as a real problem. She needed those supplies but she had depended on the free delivery. She just could not spare any extra coin right now. But it was not like she had her own golem to carry her load.

 

That meant she had to go down to Dawnside Quay herself. The potions she had been making had healed her back for the most part. But even at her best she could not be expected to carry everything back by herself, there was just too much, it would take forever. She would need some help, but who-

 

Sanna looked up suddenly when she realized what she needed to do. She never expected to have to take him up on his offer, Tarnn could have just been saying that to be polite. But she had no one else to turn too.

 

And a part of her wanted to see him again.

 

She reached for a pen and a piece of paper. She thought out exactly what she wanted to say for a moment before committing her plea to paper.

 

\---------------------

 

The red hot iron sang under every blow. Tarnn did not even feel the heat as he pounded the metal with his hammer. The shape of a sword was already visible, but he had seen its shape in the metal for a long time already. It was going to be for a Peacemaker who broke her sword against an Inquest golem, she had been lucky to escape with her life. Few asura found smithing to be rewarding so her choices for a replacement blade were slim. But Tarnn promised quality not often found in Rata Sum and that next time it would be the golem that breaks, not the sword.

 

He paused a moment to wipe the soot and sweat from his face when noticed a bird at the window. A messenger bird to be exact.

 

Tarnn knew that messenger birds, while intelligent, were not known for sticking around in one place for too long. He stopped working and set the sword aside properly as his old master had taught him and went to the bird.

 

It did not fly away when he removed the letter, meaning that a response was expected. Curious, who could be sending him letters?

 

The answer when he unrolled the letter made him smile.

 

_Protector Tarnn,_

 

_I know you are most likely very busy but I hope you recall that day in the market. You had said that if I ever needed your help again I just needed to ask. I am asking now. I have some deliveries on the Dawnside Quay that I need to pick up but I can not do it alone. If you have time, and are willing, I would appreciate it if you would come with me tomorrow morning and help. Please respond as soon as possible, in case I need to make other arrangements._

 

_~ Aeromage Sanna_

 

He knew exactly what he wanted to say before he even finished reading. He cleared a space on his worktable and wrote his response.

 

_Aeromage Sanna,_

 

_There is no need for you to make other arrangements. I would be more than happy to help you pick up your deliveries. I will meet you at your shop in the morning. You can always count on me._

 

_~Protector Tarnn_

 

He attached the letter to the bird and sent it on its way. He watched it fly off to another area of Rata Sum. The sword was waiting for him, but he stood at the window a little bit longer. He had been hoping she would contact him. At the same time he had also been afraid that she would take his offer as a mere politeness. He was so glad she didn't.

 

He had wanted to see her again.


End file.
